Great Dividing Range Mining Company

[DKS]

I am guessing DKS used Anyrail.

Correct.

[DKS]

Incidentally, if built as shown, it will require 1,817 feet of flex (or approx. 606 lengths), and 264 switches. 

[Leggy]

Man I'd hate to tot up what it takes to complete Miniature Wunderland.

[GaryHinshaw]

Thanks Leggy.

The entrance gate/door is on the left side of the plans, stupidly of me I've forgotten to note that on the plans 

Does that mean you can walk into the lower "all open" area, without ducking under the lower deck?  I guess by the same token, do you have to duck under 4 decks to access the main aisle area?

The return loop at the chemical plant on the first level should probably be pulled out of the middle of the 4-level loop, to make getting inside the big loop easier.
The coal unloader loop on the Jetty Branch? If that's what you're talking about DKS will be jumping up and down....

Ah yes, the Jetty loop.  I thought it was coming off the chemical plant spur.  The idea is that you'll want to be able to get inside the nolix loops to fetch wayward trains, and that Jetty loop is in the way.  Not sure I get the reference to DKS, is he lobbying for the same change?

Cheers,
Gary

[Leggy]

Yes, the door opens into the garage door, so you simply walk out and around into the other garage bay door to gain access to the outer areas of the layout.

As for the coal unloader loop, yeah DKS did it originally with the loop being 99% exposed, cited "all those diamonds" as a reason for it being a good idea (the unloader was originally where the GDRMCoRHS station is).

[DKS]

As for the coal unloader loop, yeah DKS did it originally with the loop being 99% exposed, cited "all those diamonds" as a reason for it being a good idea (the unloader was originally where the GDRMCoRHS station is).

Actually, I cited "all those diamonds" as a reason for what makes that area of the layout so interesting-looking, which is why I replaced the unloader with another industry. I do prefer the unloader loop being mostly visible, but if it's to remain hidden, it would not interfere with the nolix loopbacks at all; they are vertically situated halfway between each level, whereas the unloader loop is located on a level, so there would be 8-9 inches of vertical difference between them.

And yes, all of the "hidden" nolix track is totally open outside of the interior layout space, and is all directly accessible save for the lower leg of the rise between levels 3 and 4, which would be accessed via removable backdrop panels.

[Leggy]

Man my place is all over the head. 

[kelticsylk]

Whoa! Awesome layout.  1800 feet? That's 54 MILES!

Crikey!

[flight2000]

Whoa! Awesome layout.  1800 feet? That's 54 MILES!

Crikey!

Hah, ask him about his plans for the motive power... 

Brian

[eric220]

Whoa! Awesome layout.  1800 feet? That's 54 MILES!

Crikey!

So at a constant 50 SMPH, it's going to take over an hour to go from one end to the other.  That's some serious ops.

[DKS]

So at a constant 50 SMPH, it's going to take over an hour to go from one end to the other.  That's some serious ops.

Nope. The track length I quoted is for all track required to build the layout, yards and everything. So the mainline is considerably shorter.

[Leggy]

I believe the visible mainline is roughly 250-300' long.

[Leggy]

Have had a bit of a brainwave that I've thrown off to DKS for consideration, by expanding out about 800mm it might be possible to rearrange things and go to 3 levels....

[flight2000]

Have had a bit of a brainwave that I've thrown off to DKS for consideration, by expanding out about 800mm it might be possible to rearrange things and go to 3 levels....

Always better to have those before the first nail goes in. 

I'm jealous of those really long runs you're going to have.  Will be an impressive sight to see 3-6 MACs pulling a loooong string of hoppers behind them.

Brian

[Leggy]

Looking at the colours for the hoppers, the hardware store in Boonah wasn't exactly packed with oxide reds and browns so I found some colours that looked halfway decent. Only the one on the right which is a combination of the two looks decent...will be trying the store in Kalbar as they usually have a larger paint range.